Grass Seed Planting in the Fall

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The time of the year is an important factor when sowing grass seed. If you sow seed in late spring or summer, the young plants can be damaged by the intense summer heat. Waiting too long in the fall can cause problems if the grass goes dormant before it becomes established. Knowing how and when to sow grass seed in the fall helps ensure a healthier, more even lawn the following year.

Seeding Your Lawn

Sowing grass seed in your lawn encourages new grass growth, filling in bare patches and revitalizing your lawn. You can sow the seed over bare patches in your lawn or into areas with existing grass, allowing new grass to grow and prevent dull or slow-growing grass from making your lawn appear uneven. You can seed by hand, though hand-cranked spread seeders produce more even seed distribution and help to ensure you don't miss portions of the area you want to seed.

Grass Seasons

Several factors influence the optimal sowing time for grass seed. One factor in choosing the right time to sow seeds is the type of grass seed you're using. Grasses such as Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides), which both grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10, are known as warm-season grasses and grow from spring to fall, entering a dormant period through the winter. Other grasses for lower USDA zones are cool-season grasses and grown during the spring and late fall but become dormant in the heat of summer.

Fall Seeding

Sowing warm-season grass seed in fall allows the grass time to grow and become established before it goes dormant in winter, while fall seeding of cool-season grass seed allows it to begin growing as the grass comes out of dormancy. After sowing the seeds over bare spots or into your existing lawn, apply a starter fertilizer and water frequently to encourage germination. Apply a second round of fertilizer after three or four weeks to help growth because the additional watering can leach the nutrients from the soil the initial fertilizer provided.

Timing

When planting grass seed in the fall, it's important to not wait too late in the season or the grass might not be fully mature before it enters its dormant period. The best time to sow grass in fall is in mid fall when the hottest part of summer has passed and soil temperatures are still above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This timing allows ample time for the grass to grow before temperatures start to drop and the grass goes dormant.

Spring Seeding

Cool-season grasses do well when seeded in the spring, and warm-season seed can also be sown in early spring if you waited too long to seed it in the fall. Seed the lawn as early as possible when the soil temperature is above 65 F to give the grass time to become established before the heat of summer arrives. When sowing seeds in spring, provide fertilizer and care in the same way as if you were sowing the seeds in the fall.

About the Author

Born in West Virginia, Jack Gerard now lives in Kentucky. A writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience, he has written both articles and poetry for publication in magazines and online. A former nationally ranked sport fencer, Gerard also spent several years as a fencing coach and trainer.